There is a need for racetrack compliant fences. Fatal crashes, particularly for Indy car drivers, have brought this need to the forefront in recent years. Currently, race track walls are manufactured of cement, which does not cushion or absorb any kinetic energy of a moving object. The fences and fence posts that rise above track walls are similarly inflexible. Accordingly, the present inventors have sought to develop an energy absorbing fence.
Energy-absorbing barriers have been used in connection with airport runways, and these barriers are designed to stop an aircraft that is overrunning a runway, but to do so in a manner that safely halts the vehicle's movement while not injuring passengers and personnel. Examples of aircraft and other vehicle halting systems are described in many of the assignee's patents and patent applications, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,726,400; 6,971,817; 7,261,490; 7,467,909; 7,597,502; 7,837,409; 8,007,198; 8,021,074; 8,021,075; 8,224,507 and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2008/0014019; 2011/0020062; and 2011/0177933. For example, in addition to systems designed to stop overrun aircraft, other energy-absorbing walls have been considered for use in highway situations as well, in order to stop a car from leaving the highway at a dangerous pace, but to also stop the car without injuring its occupants. Further improvements to catch fences, however, are needed, particularly for high speed crashes, such as those occurring at speedways or racetracks.